West Agartala Police have achieved a significant breakthrough in a series of battery theft cases involving e-rickshaws and autorickshaws, arresting three suspected members of a theft racket and recovering 13 batteries and two e-rickshaws. Police said one of the accused has a previous criminal record.
West Police Station OC Sanjit Sen briefed the media on Wednesday, outlining the details of the investigation and the subsequent arrests.
According to police sources, several complaints regarding battery thefts from e-rickshaws and autorickshaws had been reported in the area over the past few days. One such incident occurred on October 9, when an e-rickshaw owner parked his vehicle beneath a flyover and went to a nearby market. On returning after approximately 30 to 40 minutes, he discovered that his vehicle had disappeared. He later lodged a complaint at the Battala Police Outpost.
Acting on the complaint, police initiated an investigation and examined CCTV footage from the surrounding area. The footage helped investigators identify a suspect, who was subsequently traced and questioned. Police claimed that during interrogation, he admitted to removing the batteries from the stolen e-rickshaw and hiding them at another location with the intention of selling them.
A crucial lead emerged during the investigation from a battery shop in the Melarmath area. The shop owner reportedly grew suspicious when a person approached him to sell batteries believed to be stolen. When the individual arrived at the shop carrying the batteries in an e-rickshaw, the matter was brought to the attention of the police. A subsequent operation led to the recovery of the stolen batteries and the e-rickshaw allegedly used in the offence.
Further interrogation of the arrested suspect reportedly revealed the involvement of two other individuals. Police later conducted operations and arrested both, taking the total number of arrests in the case to three.
OC Sanjit Sen confirmed that two e-rickshaws and 13 batteries had been recovered during the investigation. He also stated that one of the accused had previously been arrested in connection with another case.
Preliminary findings suggest that the accused allegedly operated as a group, targeting parked e-rickshaws and autorickshaws under the cover of darkness. After removing the batteries, they would reportedly leave the vehicles at isolated locations and attempt to sell the stolen batteries.
Police are now investigating whether the suspected racket has links to other battery theft incidents reported across the city. Investigators are also trying to determine whether more people were involved in the operation.
The three accused will be produced before the court, where police will seek their custody for further questioning, the OC said.
Meanwhile, OC Sen appealed to e-rickshaw and autorickshaw owners to remain vigilant and adopt preventive measures. He advised them to park their vehicles in designated, secure parking areas and avoid leaving them on public roads when safer parking facilities are available at home.
Police have urged vehicle owners to take necessary precautions, noting that secure parking arrangements can help minimise the risk of such thefts.
